Lacey High School Senior Finalist in Anti-Drug Song Competition

Nickolas Alu of Forked River will perform his original song, "Use Your Voice," at the Eighth Annual Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey's Shout Down Drugs Prevention Concert on May 24 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Victoria Theater in Newark. 

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, a not-for-profit whose mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication, created the Shout Down Drugs music competition to challenge high school students to create original music and lyrics that contain powerful peer-to-peer drug prevention messages.

For Alu, 18, a Lacey Township High School senior, his song's message came from his own experiences with drugs and their impact on his life.

"I know what's going on," he said.  "I quit all of it, so I can shoot it down."

In "Use Your Voice,"  Alu or Nick Nubz- a name he created because of four missing fingers on one hand due to a birth defect- raps about the impact of different drugs and that it is not worth it.

"The chorus is me just saying you're worth more than that, you're not perfect, everyone makes mistakes," said Alu.  "There's no point throwing your life away."

Alu recorded his song in his basement recording studio, where he said he writes a song a day. He said he raps, sings, and dances, but prefers hip-hop. He is currently finishing a program in audio and recording and hopes to get some kind of degree in audio engineering.

This is his second year participating in the Shout Down Drugs competition and after that experience, he said he knew exactly what he wanted to do for this year's contest. He was very pleased to find out he was chosen as one of the 38 finalists, representing Ocean County.

"I was surprised, relieved, happy and excited," said Alu, who has auditioned for television shows such as America's Got Talent and X Factor, but said he couldn't advance in those until the completion of the Shout Down Drugs competition.

Once selected as finalists, the songs and profiles of the song writers were posted on www.shoutdowndrugs.com. The public can cast votes for their favorite songs through May 23 and those vote tallies will count for 10 percent of the finalists' scores, according to Diane Higgins, New Jersey Shout Down Drugs Coordinator.

At the May 24th concert, which is being recorded and will air on Comcast Video On-demand, the songs will be judged by a panel of law enforcement and peer leaders, said Higgins. The three top winners will share $10,000 in music contracts with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and will be paid for performing their winning songs at statewide events.

Tickets for the concert are free and can be reserved online at www.shoutdowndrugs.com.